What do you think?
Rate this book
Death in Paradise #1
Indagine su un omicidio
Il detective Richard Poole è accaldato e infastidito. È bloccato sull'isola tropicale di Saint-Marie, costretto a vivere in una vecchia baracca traballante su una spiaggia, e non c'è una tazza di tè decente da trovare da nessuna parte. Non solo, l'unica compagnia è una lucertola che tutto vuole meno che andarsene, come se quel bungalow fosse la sua dimora... Aslan Kennedy ha una vita idilliaca, leader spirituale in un ritiro per ricchi vacanzieri su una delle isole più incontaminate dei Caraibi, Saint-Marie. O almeno fino a quando non viene ucciso. Ma il caso sembra già risolto: quando Aslan è stato ucciso, si trovava in una stanza chiusa con sole altre cinque persone, una delle quali confessa l'omicidio. L'ispettore investigativo Richard Poole è stufo di parlare con testimoni che preferirebbero discutere della sua "aura spirituale" piuttosto che della loro posizione al momento dell'omicidio e vorrebbe chiudere subito il caso. Ma sa anche che la realtà dei fatti dice un'altra cosa. In effetti, è convinto che la persona che ha appena confessato l'omicidio sia l'unica che non avrebbe potuto farlo. Determinato a rintracciare il vero assassino, il detective Poole è presto sulle sue tracce e nessuna pista verrà lasciata al caso.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 2, 2015
1310 people are currently reading
5977 people want to read
About the author
Robert Thorogood
14 books2,223 followersRobert Thorogood is an English screenwriter. He is best known as the creator of the BBC 1 Murder Mystery Series, Death in Paradise.
Robert was educated at Uppingham School in Rutland and read History at Downing College, Cambridge. While at Cambridge, he toured with the university's student comedy troupe Footlights in 1993 and was elected President in 1994. Soon after leaving Cambridge, Robert set up a theatre company that toured small theatres and schools, the highlight of which was a production of Molière's The Miser that he directed and acted in alongside Robert Webb, David Mitchell and Olivia Colman.
Robert wrote for many years - selling scripts to the BBC, ITV and independent film companies - but before 2011 the only script of his that was actually broadcast was a Radio 4 afternoon play called From Abstraction about the life of Paul Wolfskehl.
In 2008, Robert entered the inaugural Red Planet Prize and was a chosen finalist, where he was able to pitch his 'Copper in the Caribbean' idea to Tony Jordan. By 2011, when the show was finally broadcast - making it Robert's first TV broadcast credit at the age of 39 - Robert had become something of a poster boy for 'never giving up on the dream'.
In January 2014, it was announced that Robert had signed a deal with MIRA Harlequin to write three Richard Poole Murder Mystery novels, with the first being published in hardback in January 2015.
Robert was educated at Uppingham School in Rutland and read History at Downing College, Cambridge. While at Cambridge, he toured with the university's student comedy troupe Footlights in 1993 and was elected President in 1994. Soon after leaving Cambridge, Robert set up a theatre company that toured small theatres and schools, the highlight of which was a production of Molière's The Miser that he directed and acted in alongside Robert Webb, David Mitchell and Olivia Colman.
Robert wrote for many years - selling scripts to the BBC, ITV and independent film companies - but before 2011 the only script of his that was actually broadcast was a Radio 4 afternoon play called From Abstraction about the life of Paul Wolfskehl.
In 2008, Robert entered the inaugural Red Planet Prize and was a chosen finalist, where he was able to pitch his 'Copper in the Caribbean' idea to Tony Jordan. By 2011, when the show was finally broadcast - making it Robert's first TV broadcast credit at the age of 39 - Robert had become something of a poster boy for 'never giving up on the dream'.
In January 2014, it was announced that Robert had signed a deal with MIRA Harlequin to write three Richard Poole Murder Mystery novels, with the first being published in hardback in January 2015.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 611 reviews
August 22, 2019
I enjoyed this cozy mystery a lot. It's a typical closed circle whodunnit murder mystery, but set in a Caribbean island. The tropical setting drips through the pages, and it's so delightful for a summer fan like me :)
This series also turned into a BBC tv series, and I'll definitely will be watching that too.
In this one, Aslan Kennedy gets killed by stabbing with a knife in a small Japanese tea house while he was doing a meditation session with his clients. It's a little room where only 5 people were inside, so whodunnit then? Aslan is the co-owner of a luxury Retreat hotel in a small island in Caribbean, managing it with his wife.
Our detective is Richard, who's actually British, moving to the island after an incident he was investigating there. He actually hates tropical weather, and has sand phobia. These details made the book really funny and I loved Richard as a character.
As a classic whodunnit, some clues reveal themselves to our detective team slowly and we try to solve it through the book. I had a lot of fun solving it, and reading about all these characters.
I only wish it was a tad shorter, so the pace was a bit better at some times.
Nevertheless, it's a fun book to fly through and enjoy a cozy mystery. Definitely recommended. I will surely continue this series.
This series also turned into a BBC tv series, and I'll definitely will be watching that too.
In this one, Aslan Kennedy gets killed by stabbing with a knife in a small Japanese tea house while he was doing a meditation session with his clients. It's a little room where only 5 people were inside, so whodunnit then? Aslan is the co-owner of a luxury Retreat hotel in a small island in Caribbean, managing it with his wife.
Our detective is Richard, who's actually British, moving to the island after an incident he was investigating there. He actually hates tropical weather, and has sand phobia. These details made the book really funny and I loved Richard as a character.
As a classic whodunnit, some clues reveal themselves to our detective team slowly and we try to solve it through the book. I had a lot of fun solving it, and reading about all these characters.
I only wish it was a tad shorter, so the pace was a bit better at some times.
Nevertheless, it's a fun book to fly through and enjoy a cozy mystery. Definitely recommended. I will surely continue this series.
January 16, 2015
I have always enjoyed watching the BBC series Death in Paradise, particularly the early series with Ben Miller as DI Richard Poole so was quite thrilled when I received a review copy of A Meditation on Murder – the first novel by its creator Robert Thorogood. It is a standalone Richard Poole story with all the familiar characters (and more) from the series and it is a read which I really, really enjoyed.
Richard is instantly recognisable – he is the same stuffy, stick in the mud that we already know. Anyone else would be rejoicing about being able to work on this tropical island paradise, but not Richard. He hates everything about it – especially the heat – and dreams of returning to Croydon. He still wears his trademark dark woollen suit every day – because that is what Detective Inspectors wear. He is just totally at odds with the laid back attitude of the islanders, especially his colleagues.
His sidekick Camille is also well drawn. She is good at her job and despite the fact that she finds Richard’s ways exasperating – she likes him and is always on hand when he overheats in that suit. She tries her best, but no way is he going to ditch that suit! I love the way that she treats Richard, especially when he gives an order and she wants to do something else – she goes along with his wishes so far – then just does what she wanted to do anyway. Their camaraderie is good – they have a rapport with each other and there is chemistry but I am glad that the author resisted any impulse for them to get together – In a lot of ways Richard and Camille would make a wonderful couple – but it should never actually happen.
The story itself is a traditional “locked room” whodunit and when local hotelier Aslan Kennedy is found murdered inside a locked room it seems an open and shut case – only five other people were in that room and one has confessed, after all. But, Richard follows his instincts and through a mixture of old fashioned detective work and inspiration, reveals a story that goes back 20 years and which proves that any of the people in that room could in fact be guilty. We follow the island detective team in this well paced story as it moves forward to a classic “Agatha Christie-ish” showdown finale wherein Richard and his team confront all the usual suspects, with Richard going through them one by one, outlining why he thinks each person could have done it, but why he thinks they are innocent – until he gets to the guilty party.
It is a story which really kept my attention – with its twists and turns and red herrings which meant that I was convinced at times that nearly all the suspects were guilty. There is no sex, no violence, no bad language in this story which would appeal to any fans of Agatha Christie, who I am sure must have been a huge influence for the author. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
Richard is instantly recognisable – he is the same stuffy, stick in the mud that we already know. Anyone else would be rejoicing about being able to work on this tropical island paradise, but not Richard. He hates everything about it – especially the heat – and dreams of returning to Croydon. He still wears his trademark dark woollen suit every day – because that is what Detective Inspectors wear. He is just totally at odds with the laid back attitude of the islanders, especially his colleagues.
His sidekick Camille is also well drawn. She is good at her job and despite the fact that she finds Richard’s ways exasperating – she likes him and is always on hand when he overheats in that suit. She tries her best, but no way is he going to ditch that suit! I love the way that she treats Richard, especially when he gives an order and she wants to do something else – she goes along with his wishes so far – then just does what she wanted to do anyway. Their camaraderie is good – they have a rapport with each other and there is chemistry but I am glad that the author resisted any impulse for them to get together – In a lot of ways Richard and Camille would make a wonderful couple – but it should never actually happen.
The story itself is a traditional “locked room” whodunit and when local hotelier Aslan Kennedy is found murdered inside a locked room it seems an open and shut case – only five other people were in that room and one has confessed, after all. But, Richard follows his instincts and through a mixture of old fashioned detective work and inspiration, reveals a story that goes back 20 years and which proves that any of the people in that room could in fact be guilty. We follow the island detective team in this well paced story as it moves forward to a classic “Agatha Christie-ish” showdown finale wherein Richard and his team confront all the usual suspects, with Richard going through them one by one, outlining why he thinks each person could have done it, but why he thinks they are innocent – until he gets to the guilty party.
It is a story which really kept my attention – with its twists and turns and red herrings which meant that I was convinced at times that nearly all the suspects were guilty. There is no sex, no violence, no bad language in this story which would appeal to any fans of Agatha Christie, who I am sure must have been a huge influence for the author. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
February 23, 2022
(Review originally published on my blog, January 2015)
When it comes to books, 'cosy crime' has never really been my thing. From what I can figure out, 'cosies' invariably seem to involve dreadful pun-laden titles, a disproportionate amount of plots revolving around baking, and people solving murders with the aid of their pets. TV, though - that's a different matter. The TV equivalent of this sort of thing, from Midsomer Murders to Miss Marple to Rosemary & Thyme, has long been a source of comfort to me, and over the years I've accumulated a decent collection of boxsets of these series to watch when I'm ill, depressed or otherwise in need of distraction and relaxation. For whatever reason, they've often helped to get me through depressive periods when little else would lift my mood.
The first two series of BBC1's Death in Paradise, a murder mystery comedy-drama set on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint-Marie, has become part of this pantheon of comforting TV, and in recent times has become my go-to feelgood show. It surprises me sometimes that Death in Paradise doesn't get more credit for the things it does differently, and the things it gets right: I can't think of an equivalent series (primetime, mainstream drama, screened on a major UK channel and considered a flagship show for that channel) that only has one white main cast member, or that's had episodes
addressing the legacy of slavery, treating Vodun as a serious religion, and condemning the actions of British colonists and French settlers in the Caribbean. But it's a comfortable sort of show, intended as cosy midweek entertainment, and I'm aware it's silly to analyse much of it in any further depth than that.
Of course, any cosy mystery worth its salt has to chuck in some romance, and across series 1 and 2, the unresolved tension between DI Richard Poole and his (professional) partner, Camille Bordey, quietly became one of the best things about the show. But then Ben Miller, who played Richard, decided to leave, and the character was ruthlessly killed off, taking any hopes of a love story with him. I still watch Death in Paradise - casually, kind of - but I've never quite forgiven it for quickly and brutally dispatching Richard and then making all the other characters forget him almost instantaneously. This is the disadvantage of cosy shows: the lack of realism means nobody is really allowed to process emotions in a believable way. Richard was immediately replaced with Humphrey Goodman, played by Kris Marshall, who bumbles about treating Camille as a glorified sidekick and patronising her. Even worse, the most recent episodes have attempted to set up a sort of 'will they/won't they' romantic tension between Humphrey and Camille. Twitter creeping has revealed that there are some people out there who think they have amazing chemistry, but I assume they've been watching a different show to me.
One of the big draws of this tie-in novel - the first in a planned series of at least three books from series creator and screenwriter Robert Thorogood - is that it features the original (dream) team of Richard, Camille, Dwayne and Fidel. If you've seen the show, there will be nothing surprising about A Meditation on Murder, and if you enjoy it, you will probably like this too. There's an ensemble 'guest cast' of characters - a group of people staying at a luxury spa hotel on Saint-Marie, plus the resort's owners and their shifty handyman - and a locked-room mystery. The characters from the show, particularly Richard, are recreated absolutely perfectly, their voices and individual quirks completely intact. Richard's lizard Harry even puts in a few appearances. The comedy is handled really well, and plot twists are clever but gentle: just the way cosy crime should be. It's about as heart-warming as murder can possibly get.
There are flaws, of course. Information is often repeated in dialogue, in a way that would probably make sense spoken aloud, but looks like unnecessary padding when written down. It lacks nuance, especially in the characterisation - characters with a couple of strong, broadly painted distinguishing physical/personality features may work well on screen, when we can see the differences between them, but can be quite cartoonish in a book, when these traits have to be reinforced frequently. (Example: I think Anne might be overweight, but it's difficult to tell, since her weight, size, shape and her being 'larger than life' (groan) are only mentioned about 5000 times.) And finally, there's a bit of silliness between Richard and one of the female characters which seems so unlikely, even in this light-hearted context, that it stands out rather awkwardly.
It's unclear at this point whether the books are designed to portray an 'alternate timeline' Death in Paradise or whether they take place within the known world of the show. In other words, can anything happen in these stories that hasn't already happened in the series (say, vis-à-vis Richard and Camille's relationship... just to throw out a random example...), or are these mysteries supposed to be taking place in between those already depicted on screen, prior to Richard's death? It wasn't until after I finished reading A Meditation on Murder that it occurred to me: Thorogood is still working on Death in Paradise, so he's unlikely to develop Richard and Camille's relationship in the books, given that the series appears to be persisting in trying to make Camille/Humphrey a thing. This thought, admittedly, makes me feel a bit dejected. But you know what, I'll probably read all the books in the series regardless of their imperfections: it's lovely to see these characters living on in some form.
When it comes to books, 'cosy crime' has never really been my thing. From what I can figure out, 'cosies' invariably seem to involve dreadful pun-laden titles, a disproportionate amount of plots revolving around baking, and people solving murders with the aid of their pets. TV, though - that's a different matter. The TV equivalent of this sort of thing, from Midsomer Murders to Miss Marple to Rosemary & Thyme, has long been a source of comfort to me, and over the years I've accumulated a decent collection of boxsets of these series to watch when I'm ill, depressed or otherwise in need of distraction and relaxation. For whatever reason, they've often helped to get me through depressive periods when little else would lift my mood.
The first two series of BBC1's Death in Paradise, a murder mystery comedy-drama set on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint-Marie, has become part of this pantheon of comforting TV, and in recent times has become my go-to feelgood show. It surprises me sometimes that Death in Paradise doesn't get more credit for the things it does differently, and the things it gets right: I can't think of an equivalent series (primetime, mainstream drama, screened on a major UK channel and considered a flagship show for that channel) that only has one white main cast member, or that's had episodes
addressing the legacy of slavery, treating Vodun as a serious religion, and condemning the actions of British colonists and French settlers in the Caribbean. But it's a comfortable sort of show, intended as cosy midweek entertainment, and I'm aware it's silly to analyse much of it in any further depth than that.
Of course, any cosy mystery worth its salt has to chuck in some romance, and across series 1 and 2, the unresolved tension between DI Richard Poole and his (professional) partner, Camille Bordey, quietly became one of the best things about the show. But then Ben Miller, who played Richard, decided to leave, and the character was ruthlessly killed off, taking any hopes of a love story with him. I still watch Death in Paradise - casually, kind of - but I've never quite forgiven it for quickly and brutally dispatching Richard and then making all the other characters forget him almost instantaneously. This is the disadvantage of cosy shows: the lack of realism means nobody is really allowed to process emotions in a believable way. Richard was immediately replaced with Humphrey Goodman, played by Kris Marshall, who bumbles about treating Camille as a glorified sidekick and patronising her. Even worse, the most recent episodes have attempted to set up a sort of 'will they/won't they' romantic tension between Humphrey and Camille. Twitter creeping has revealed that there are some people out there who think they have amazing chemistry, but I assume they've been watching a different show to me.
One of the big draws of this tie-in novel - the first in a planned series of at least three books from series creator and screenwriter Robert Thorogood - is that it features the original (dream) team of Richard, Camille, Dwayne and Fidel. If you've seen the show, there will be nothing surprising about A Meditation on Murder, and if you enjoy it, you will probably like this too. There's an ensemble 'guest cast' of characters - a group of people staying at a luxury spa hotel on Saint-Marie, plus the resort's owners and their shifty handyman - and a locked-room mystery. The characters from the show, particularly Richard, are recreated absolutely perfectly, their voices and individual quirks completely intact. Richard's lizard Harry even puts in a few appearances. The comedy is handled really well, and plot twists are clever but gentle: just the way cosy crime should be. It's about as heart-warming as murder can possibly get.
There are flaws, of course. Information is often repeated in dialogue, in a way that would probably make sense spoken aloud, but looks like unnecessary padding when written down. It lacks nuance, especially in the characterisation - characters with a couple of strong, broadly painted distinguishing physical/personality features may work well on screen, when we can see the differences between them, but can be quite cartoonish in a book, when these traits have to be reinforced frequently. (Example: I think Anne might be overweight, but it's difficult to tell, since her weight, size, shape and her being 'larger than life' (groan) are only mentioned about 5000 times.) And finally, there's a bit of silliness between Richard and one of the female characters which seems so unlikely, even in this light-hearted context, that it stands out rather awkwardly.
It's unclear at this point whether the books are designed to portray an 'alternate timeline' Death in Paradise or whether they take place within the known world of the show. In other words, can anything happen in these stories that hasn't already happened in the series (say, vis-à-vis Richard and Camille's relationship... just to throw out a random example...), or are these mysteries supposed to be taking place in between those already depicted on screen, prior to Richard's death? It wasn't until after I finished reading A Meditation on Murder that it occurred to me: Thorogood is still working on Death in Paradise, so he's unlikely to develop Richard and Camille's relationship in the books, given that the series appears to be persisting in trying to make Camille/Humphrey a thing. This thought, admittedly, makes me feel a bit dejected. But you know what, I'll probably read all the books in the series regardless of their imperfections: it's lovely to see these characters living on in some form.
May 28, 2023
This was a throughly enjoyable book. Similar to the tv series Death In Paradise this cozy mystery was just like the series. It lead you up different paths and many people were suspects in the crime. I loved this one and I’m looking forward to reading the next one in this series.
April 1, 2024
4 Stars. It's the hit BBC crime thriller "Death in Paradise!" Here's the first novel to come out of the show. Written by creator Robert Thorogood. I hoped it would be close to the TV series. It was - complete with characters I enjoy, especially Detective Inspector Richard Poole, a homesick Brit and a fish out of water, but with great detecting skills, his young detective sergeant Camille Bordey and her amusing reactions to Poole, Officer Dwayne Myers, older and a bit of a cynic, and Poole's lizard Harry at his shack on the beach. The story takes place on the beautiful island of Saint Marie, in reality French Guadeloupe in the Caribbean. Gorgeous and inviting. There's even a touch of romance in Poole's lonely life. The lovely Julia Higgins invites him for a late-night skinny dip in the sea! To his later regret, he cautiously declines. Poole is investigating the stabbing death of wellness guru Aslan Kennedy at his high-end hotel, The Retreat. He was found in the Meditation Centre - locked from inside. The guilty party must be among the other five with him. Right? Most of them had a good motive, having been victims of a Kennedy Ponzi scheme years ago. So much fun. (July 2023)
June 6, 2017
In our there is a TV series we watched from day one as it kinda sounded too good to be true. An English Policeman get sent to a Caribbean Island to solve the murder of the chief detective and he gets kinda stuck there and he somewhat like a fish out of the water except this policeman is deadly afraid of water. It is a comedy, mystery and always an ending in which the detective and his staff gather all suspects around and explains the murder and who did it. Very Agatha Christie actually. This is one tv show that I actually advise anybody even if we have by bow arrived at the third English detective in Saint Marie and of the original crew only Dwayne and the Chief of Police remain.
This book takes us back to the beginning when DI Richard Poole has been on the tropical island for close to a year and has some issues with a small green lizard sharing his beachfront property, watch the show for the wit in that description. At an hotel a guru like figure gets lethally stabbed in a closed room with only 5 possible suspects and during the story we find out that almost all of them have a very strong reason to see this man dead. His second in command Camille Bordey, a beautiful woman with the intelligence to match that, is always annoyed by her so quintessential English boss who at tropical temperatures still wears his woolen suit and who is so incredibly smart and a fickler for details. Then there is the agent Dwayne Myers who is the essential islander that has ways and sources that are perhaps less police style but always deliver the goods. And last not least is officer sergeant Fidel Best who is a smart and bright officer that will soon outgrow this little police-force but at this time is still learning form the talents of his co-workers. Selwyn Patterson the commissioner who kinda wheeled and dealed the talents of DI Poole to his tropical paradise as lead investigator does play no real role in this book but he is always around somewhere.
This odd group of talents always get underestimated but at the end of the case anybody still doubting their talents has probably not paid attention.
This story is about a locked room mystery and the solution is in the details. It brings us the characters that have woed the many viewers around the world and this time they stay somewhat langer than 50 minutes around for you to enjoy them.
A great celebration of the original show as written by the original creator of the show with charcters he thought of first.
Weel worth your time reading, have you not seen the show yet, go and watch it first and after you have fallen in love with them read the book (and the next two, I know I want to).
Welcome to Saint Marie and enjoy paradise.
This book takes us back to the beginning when DI Richard Poole has been on the tropical island for close to a year and has some issues with a small green lizard sharing his beachfront property, watch the show for the wit in that description. At an hotel a guru like figure gets lethally stabbed in a closed room with only 5 possible suspects and during the story we find out that almost all of them have a very strong reason to see this man dead. His second in command Camille Bordey, a beautiful woman with the intelligence to match that, is always annoyed by her so quintessential English boss who at tropical temperatures still wears his woolen suit and who is so incredibly smart and a fickler for details. Then there is the agent Dwayne Myers who is the essential islander that has ways and sources that are perhaps less police style but always deliver the goods. And last not least is officer sergeant Fidel Best who is a smart and bright officer that will soon outgrow this little police-force but at this time is still learning form the talents of his co-workers. Selwyn Patterson the commissioner who kinda wheeled and dealed the talents of DI Poole to his tropical paradise as lead investigator does play no real role in this book but he is always around somewhere.
This odd group of talents always get underestimated but at the end of the case anybody still doubting their talents has probably not paid attention.
This story is about a locked room mystery and the solution is in the details. It brings us the characters that have woed the many viewers around the world and this time they stay somewhat langer than 50 minutes around for you to enjoy them.
A great celebration of the original show as written by the original creator of the show with charcters he thought of first.
Weel worth your time reading, have you not seen the show yet, go and watch it first and after you have fallen in love with them read the book (and the next two, I know I want to).
Welcome to Saint Marie and enjoy paradise.
March 26, 2019
An easy, enjoyable and entertaining cosy mystery. Exactly what I wanted right now.
April 5, 2019
Jauks, labi izveidots detektīvs. Patiks tiem,kuri ciena angļu cozy detective. Man pats interesantākais likās policijas inspektors Ričards Pūls, kurš šķiet iemieso sevī daudz stereotipus par britiem. Viņš dzer tēju ar pienu, runā par laiku, Karību saulē valkā uzvalku un,protams, nemīl frančus.
February 12, 2016
★★★★½✩ Absolutely love this BBC series on TV, so, of course, I had to get the book. Loved it. Robert Thorogood is the screenwriter for the series and he continues to bring the characters alive here in this first installment.
January 26, 2020
Let me start by saying that I haven't seen nor do I know anything about the BBC series this book is based on. I just jumped into this novel without knowing anything about it or its writer. I don't see why you couldn't do the same and enjoy it just as much. One thing I did know is that is a crime novel. I mean the title (A Meditation on Murder) gives it away, doesn't it? I also assumed that it might take place on one of the Caribbean islands (because- Death in Paradise). I only figured out it was based on a TV show when I read it and saw the faces of the actors on the back of the novel (It didn't occurred to me to study the covers prior to reading it).
What kind of a crime novel is it? One with an intelligent but peculiar and eccentric detective inspector who invariably solves the murder crime in the end. Now, who does that makes me think of? Why, Agatha Christie and her famous protagonist obviously. That is not where similarities end for there are many ways in which this crime novel reminds me of those written by Agatha Christie. Not that I'm complaining, I do like this classic take on a crime novel. There isn't much violence or blood in this book, there is a murder but that is that, most of the novel is all about the psychological study of characters.
Our peculiar detective is a Brit who ends up being an inspector on a French Caribbean island. He has a phobia of sand and insists on wearing wool suits in the worst of heat- because that is what detective inspectors do. He is quite clumsy and withdrawn, but he also has a fine mind- and a great team. The murder crime he is called to solve is quite a mystery. Aslan, a spa hotel guru everyone seems to like is killed. It happens during a meditation in a paper room but the girl (fair Julie) who confessed to it couldn't have had done it. Who is to blame then? Our detective will found it out but it will take him a long time. During that time we get to know so much about the past and the background of the six people who were in that meditation chamber. Aslan, the victim guru has had some secrets but so did all of them (don't we all?) and finding out all those secrets takes quite a bit of time. Now, this is not something I normally mind, but I did feel that this novel was a tad bit overwritten and that's the only thing I didn't like about it. I think it would have been better if it was just a bit shorter. Nevertheless, it is a fine crime novel. Not the kind of book that will change your life, but it is a mighty fine crime novel. If you like crime novels written in the style of Agatha Christie, you will probably like this one.
What kind of a crime novel is it? One with an intelligent but peculiar and eccentric detective inspector who invariably solves the murder crime in the end. Now, who does that makes me think of? Why, Agatha Christie and her famous protagonist obviously. That is not where similarities end for there are many ways in which this crime novel reminds me of those written by Agatha Christie. Not that I'm complaining, I do like this classic take on a crime novel. There isn't much violence or blood in this book, there is a murder but that is that, most of the novel is all about the psychological study of characters.
Our peculiar detective is a Brit who ends up being an inspector on a French Caribbean island. He has a phobia of sand and insists on wearing wool suits in the worst of heat- because that is what detective inspectors do. He is quite clumsy and withdrawn, but he also has a fine mind- and a great team. The murder crime he is called to solve is quite a mystery. Aslan, a spa hotel guru everyone seems to like is killed. It happens during a meditation in a paper room but the girl (fair Julie) who confessed to it couldn't have had done it. Who is to blame then? Our detective will found it out but it will take him a long time. During that time we get to know so much about the past and the background of the six people who were in that meditation chamber. Aslan, the victim guru has had some secrets but so did all of them (don't we all?) and finding out all those secrets takes quite a bit of time. Now, this is not something I normally mind, but I did feel that this novel was a tad bit overwritten and that's the only thing I didn't like about it. I think it would have been better if it was just a bit shorter. Nevertheless, it is a fine crime novel. Not the kind of book that will change your life, but it is a mighty fine crime novel. If you like crime novels written in the style of Agatha Christie, you will probably like this one.
August 1, 2017
I may be at a disadvantage because I have never watched the TV series and am only vaguely aware of it so I had no preconceptions of what this book would be like but was expecting something a bit special as it is linked to prime time drama and has many positive reviews. I'm sad to say I was disappointed. I didn't like the writing which I thought almost puerile at times and very repetitive - I like to be treated as a grown up when I read and would like authors to understand that I can grasp and retain information at the first time of telling. I don't think the characters were very well developed, apart from Richard Poole's obvious OCD/mild Asperger's and the plot was mediocre - I had most of it worked out not long after the murder. I suspect that the author has taken a screenplay and turned it into prose without realising that novelists have a different skill set from dramatists. As the 3 star rating says "it's okay" but I won't be reading more in the series.
March 19, 2015
I wanted to like this book, I really did. I have a huge soft spot for the show, particularly the first two seasons. I was delighted to find more stories about Detective Richard Poole. But oh... the writing was bad. There is a big difference between writing a screenplay and writing a novel, and this book is case in point. I did read it through to the end, and the story was about par for the television series. But if you're going to wade in, be forewarned - it reads like bad fan fiction.
January 2, 2019
Nebriesmīgs detektīvs, kam nu gandrīz nav ne vainas, bet tā kā vainīgais bija manās aizdomās jau no paša sākuma, par to viena zvaigzne nost.
April 7, 2017
4.5 stars
If you are a fan of the BBC/Netflix show A Death in Paradise, then reading this book would def be the most logical step.
What I liked most about reading this book is that fact that it read EXACTLY as if I was watching an unaired episode from seasons 1 or 2 when Det. Insp. Richard Poole was in charge. And in true fashion, I read it in the voices and mannerisms of each of the other Monore Police officers. (Det. Sgt. Camille, Dwanye, and Fidel) Another thing that I liked about this story was that we heard a lot more from Richard's POV. His a very straight laced police officer and to see him, not so much talk out loud for others to hear him, but for us as reader to see him more in a personal light was very delightful, and surprising.
The mystery was definitely one that had my wheels turning. 6 people, in a locked room with paper walls, one is dead. They have been drugged and at one time bamboozled out of tons of money, by the same man who just happens to be dead, whodunnit?
I can say that there were moments of "slowness" but it wasn't enough to stop you from reading it, being that the same man who wrote the show wrote the books, it was very true to form. Which I loved.
If you are a fan of the BBC/Netflix show A Death in Paradise, then reading this book would def be the most logical step.
What I liked most about reading this book is that fact that it read EXACTLY as if I was watching an unaired episode from seasons 1 or 2 when Det. Insp. Richard Poole was in charge. And in true fashion, I read it in the voices and mannerisms of each of the other Monore Police officers. (Det. Sgt. Camille, Dwanye, and Fidel) Another thing that I liked about this story was that we heard a lot more from Richard's POV. His a very straight laced police officer and to see him, not so much talk out loud for others to hear him, but for us as reader to see him more in a personal light was very delightful, and surprising.
The mystery was definitely one that had my wheels turning. 6 people, in a locked room with paper walls, one is dead. They have been drugged and at one time bamboozled out of tons of money, by the same man who just happens to be dead, whodunnit?
I can say that there were moments of "slowness" but it wasn't enough to stop you from reading it, being that the same man who wrote the show wrote the books, it was very true to form. Which I loved.
July 7, 2016
Loved this wonderful mystery in the tradition of Agatha Christie. Loved the humour and the witticisms. Especially loved Richard Poole, his hangups and his love/hate relationship with the lizard colonizing his home and the island he finds himself living in.
June 29, 2021
This was not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, with frustrating amounts of repetition that were somewhat jarring at times. But, such trifles aside, I have been binging the 'Death in Paradise' TV series over the past few weeks, and it was an absolute joy to be in the company of Richard Poole, Camille, Fidel, and Dwayne, once again. An excellent mystery, lots of fun, and am definitely moving onto Book #2. Keep them coming please!
February 11, 2016
"Inspector Poole is back in all his grumpy glory!" Five Stars!
I am a huge, huge, huge fan of the BBC television series "Death in Paradise," as it features "locked room" mysteries in a tropical setting wherein the detective investigates a list of suspects before bringing them all together at the end for the classic denouement where the killer is revealed. If Hercule Poirot were to make an appearance, I wouldn't be at all surprised.
Though I continue to watch and enjoy the show with its current cast, including its primary sleuth, the bumbling and good-natured Detective Inspector Humphrey Goodman (played by Kris Marshall), I still miss the original cast, most especially the persnickety, pessimistic Detective Inspector Richard Poole (played by Ben Miller) and his number two, Detective Sergeant Camille Bordey (played by Sara Martins).
With this novel written by the show's creator, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief as the original cast from the first two series is back in full force, including Richard, Camille, Sergeant Fidel Best, Officer Dwayne Myers, Camille's very French mother Catherine and Police Commissioner Selwyn Patterson. Once again, we're treated to an impossible murder with unlikely suspects. In this case, the guru of a spiritual retreat on the island of Sainte-Marie is stabbed to death in a locked meditation room with five other people, one of whom has already confessed to the murder, but it doesn't take long for Poole to doubt her guilt.
The more Poole and his team investigate, the more baffling the case seems. The murder victim is revealed to have had a criminal past as a con man. Though everyone vouches that he has changed for the better, the question remains, had he returned to his old tricks? Was the young woman who confessed guilty? But how could she be when the knife wounds were right-handed and she was left-handed? The clues are there for the clever reader to decipher its meaning and help unmask the true culprit. A wonderful puzzling treat for any mystery lover.
But the biggest treat is seeing Richard Poole in the midst of tropical heaven, who lives under his own personal dark cloud of grumpiness (in his proper wool suit ready for heatstroke), and equating sun, sand and surf with sheer hell. His interactions with his colleagues are no less enjoyable, especially his number two, the vivacious, impulsive Camille Bordey, with whom he is constantly butting heads. But despite all his complaining, his investigative instincts are as sharp as ever.
I'm proud to say I figured out whodunnit (though I couldn't quite work out the how; maybe next time) and I'm already looking forward to Thorogood's next novel in the series, "The Killing of Polly Carter." Now if only Thorogood can keep writing Death in Paradise novels forever with Inspector Poole and Sergeant Bordey, that would just fine with me.
I am a huge, huge, huge fan of the BBC television series "Death in Paradise," as it features "locked room" mysteries in a tropical setting wherein the detective investigates a list of suspects before bringing them all together at the end for the classic denouement where the killer is revealed. If Hercule Poirot were to make an appearance, I wouldn't be at all surprised.
Though I continue to watch and enjoy the show with its current cast, including its primary sleuth, the bumbling and good-natured Detective Inspector Humphrey Goodman (played by Kris Marshall), I still miss the original cast, most especially the persnickety, pessimistic Detective Inspector Richard Poole (played by Ben Miller) and his number two, Detective Sergeant Camille Bordey (played by Sara Martins).
With this novel written by the show's creator, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief as the original cast from the first two series is back in full force, including Richard, Camille, Sergeant Fidel Best, Officer Dwayne Myers, Camille's very French mother Catherine and Police Commissioner Selwyn Patterson. Once again, we're treated to an impossible murder with unlikely suspects. In this case, the guru of a spiritual retreat on the island of Sainte-Marie is stabbed to death in a locked meditation room with five other people, one of whom has already confessed to the murder, but it doesn't take long for Poole to doubt her guilt.
The more Poole and his team investigate, the more baffling the case seems. The murder victim is revealed to have had a criminal past as a con man. Though everyone vouches that he has changed for the better, the question remains, had he returned to his old tricks? Was the young woman who confessed guilty? But how could she be when the knife wounds were right-handed and she was left-handed? The clues are there for the clever reader to decipher its meaning and help unmask the true culprit. A wonderful puzzling treat for any mystery lover.
But the biggest treat is seeing Richard Poole in the midst of tropical heaven, who lives under his own personal dark cloud of grumpiness (in his proper wool suit ready for heatstroke), and equating sun, sand and surf with sheer hell. His interactions with his colleagues are no less enjoyable, especially his number two, the vivacious, impulsive Camille Bordey, with whom he is constantly butting heads. But despite all his complaining, his investigative instincts are as sharp as ever.
I'm proud to say I figured out whodunnit (though I couldn't quite work out the how; maybe next time) and I'm already looking forward to Thorogood's next novel in the series, "The Killing of Polly Carter." Now if only Thorogood can keep writing Death in Paradise novels forever with Inspector Poole and Sergeant Bordey, that would just fine with me.
May 29, 2019
This is a pretty good, fluffy murder mystery true to the show it's spinning off from. Unfortunately that means it's just an episode of Death in Paradise dragged out to 350 pages which leads to a lot of tedious summing up of the case and repeated word-for-word reproductions of everything written on the white board, adding nothing to the story other than bulk. If you're at all familiar with the formula of the show you'll probably know who the killer is almost immediately.
The editing is very sloppy as well, with a notable clanger being the character of Selwyn Patterson being referred to as "Selwyn Hamilton" early in the book then by his proper name when he finally shows up. This isn't a plot point, it's just an error that you'd think the creator of the show wouldn't have made.
The filler and poor editing go together to introduce a lot of repetitive language as well, with certain phrases ("Then can I ask you", "How do you mean?", "Mind you", "What's more") being over-used to an irritating and distracting degree. I was so annoyed by this by the midpoint that I started keeping a tally of the worst offender, "After all", which was used 15 times in the second half of the book. It's a phrase familiar from the show, but is usually heard just once in the final summing up; in the summing up of this story it's used, I believe, 6 times. This is just lazy writing.
All that being said, it's mostly an enjoyable read and true to the show. If you're like me or Richard Poole however you'll be driven to distraction by the nagging little problems that really should have been caught and perhaps would have been in a book that wasn't presumably seen as a guaranteed money spinner and spared the editorial attention it needed.
The editing is very sloppy as well, with a notable clanger being the character of Selwyn Patterson being referred to as "Selwyn Hamilton" early in the book then by his proper name when he finally shows up. This isn't a plot point, it's just an error that you'd think the creator of the show wouldn't have made.
The filler and poor editing go together to introduce a lot of repetitive language as well, with certain phrases ("Then can I ask you", "How do you mean?", "Mind you", "What's more") being over-used to an irritating and distracting degree. I was so annoyed by this by the midpoint that I started keeping a tally of the worst offender, "After all", which was used 15 times in the second half of the book. It's a phrase familiar from the show, but is usually heard just once in the final summing up; in the summing up of this story it's used, I believe, 6 times. This is just lazy writing.
All that being said, it's mostly an enjoyable read and true to the show. If you're like me or Richard Poole however you'll be driven to distraction by the nagging little problems that really should have been caught and perhaps would have been in a book that wasn't presumably seen as a guaranteed money spinner and spared the editorial attention it needed.
January 1, 2015
Having enjoyed watching the BBC's "Death in Paradise," I looked forward to reading its creator's first mystery novel using the same setting and characters. This book is every bit as much fun as the television series.
Although I do wish that A Meditation on Murder hadn't been such a one-man show and that I could have seen more from the members of the detective inspector's team, let's face it-- Richard Poole is a marvelous character. Sent to this small Caribbean island from England to fill in for another inspector, Poole is still there, stuck somewhere that he loathes. He hates sand. He hates the overabundance of sunshine. He hates the heat. He hates Harry the lizard who refuses to leave Poole's house on the beach. And he doesn't do himself any favors by insisting on wearing his dark wool suits everyday. The man was born to be a curmudgeon, and he seems to enjoy every second of it. He was also born to be a detective inspector-- the man is a terrier when it comes to following leads and searching out clues. His team-- Camille, Dwayne and Fidel-- have hopes of converting Poole to their island lifestyle, but I personally believe they're doomed to failure.
As much as I enjoyed this book, I feel that the pacing needed a bit of fine-tuning. Whenever the story slowed down, my brain had time to ruminate, and as a result, whodunnit became crystal clear to me rather early on. That's a small complaint however, because I love the humor in this book, and I love each and every character-- all the way down to Harry the lizard. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series!
Although I do wish that A Meditation on Murder hadn't been such a one-man show and that I could have seen more from the members of the detective inspector's team, let's face it-- Richard Poole is a marvelous character. Sent to this small Caribbean island from England to fill in for another inspector, Poole is still there, stuck somewhere that he loathes. He hates sand. He hates the overabundance of sunshine. He hates the heat. He hates Harry the lizard who refuses to leave Poole's house on the beach. And he doesn't do himself any favors by insisting on wearing his dark wool suits everyday. The man was born to be a curmudgeon, and he seems to enjoy every second of it. He was also born to be a detective inspector-- the man is a terrier when it comes to following leads and searching out clues. His team-- Camille, Dwayne and Fidel-- have hopes of converting Poole to their island lifestyle, but I personally believe they're doomed to failure.
As much as I enjoyed this book, I feel that the pacing needed a bit of fine-tuning. Whenever the story slowed down, my brain had time to ruminate, and as a result, whodunnit became crystal clear to me rather early on. That's a small complaint however, because I love the humor in this book, and I love each and every character-- all the way down to Harry the lizard. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series!
February 20, 2016
Aslan and his wife Rianka are peaceful living people. They own a spa retreat that offers yoga and spirituality as some of its treatments for the wealthy that visit the tropical Island.
Aslan is killed, and Julie, holding the bloody knife, confesses to his murder.
The construction of this 'whodunnit' is brilliant. Not all is as it seems and Robert Thorogood has put together a plot that is twisty and pacy. You can tell he is a fan of Agatha Christie, the piecing together of the crime is a delight to read and in no way did I even come close to guessing.
A fabulous detective novel that I will re-read and recommend
Aslan is killed, and Julie, holding the bloody knife, confesses to his murder.
The construction of this 'whodunnit' is brilliant. Not all is as it seems and Robert Thorogood has put together a plot that is twisty and pacy. You can tell he is a fan of Agatha Christie, the piecing together of the crime is a delight to read and in no way did I even come close to guessing.
A fabulous detective novel that I will re-read and recommend
Read
January 30, 2015I only read 30% of this book so I won't be leaving a star rating for it but I do actually want to say something about it. This was an arc from the publisher so with thanks to them and the author for my copy.
This book was extremely well written and characterised and having only seen the television trailers from the programme I can say it did remind me of the programme it is written on. There is a real feel for the island, the heat and the characters. So for anyone who loves the programme they will also love the book. It's just not for me. It is too calm and nice a read for my crime fiction tastes and I should have known that by the fact that I don't watch the TV programme A Death in Paradise. If you do or you like classic crime or locked room crime, then I think you will enjoy this.
This book was extremely well written and characterised and having only seen the television trailers from the programme I can say it did remind me of the programme it is written on. There is a real feel for the island, the heat and the characters. So for anyone who loves the programme they will also love the book. It's just not for me. It is too calm and nice a read for my crime fiction tastes and I should have known that by the fact that I don't watch the TV programme A Death in Paradise. If you do or you like classic crime or locked room crime, then I think you will enjoy this.
February 9, 2021
It’s been some time since I last read a cozy murder mystery and this one had it all. A locked room murder, various suspects that appear both guilty and innocent at the same time, a grumpy but funny detective inspector, and on top of all an idyllic location on a Caribbean island under a burning sun. I found all the characters interesting and mysterious. The book was well paced (although it could be a little shorter) with new clues presented in every chapter and the mystery preserved till the end. It definitely kept me guessing throughout the story and the revelations were very gripping and satisfying. As a big Agatha Christie fan myself, this book reminded me of her style, and I’m eager to continue with the rest of the series.
July 23, 2015
If you (like me) love the Death in Paradise tv series, you'll enjoy this book. The island setting and the characters are just as they are in the series, and the story very much follows the way that the episodes are plotted. I only gave this 4 stars because I spotted whodunnit a bit too easily for my liking, but I always try to spot the killer in each episode too. This was a lovely summer read, and I look forward to reading more in the series. Hooray for Richard Poole!
April 11, 2024
Locked-room mystery…
When spiritual guru Aslan Kennedy is murdered, it seems like it should be an easy case for Detective Inspector Richard Poole and his colleagues in the small police force on the Caribbean island of Saint Marie. For one thing, a woman is found standing over Aslan’s body with a bloody knife in her hand, claiming she killed him. Secondly, the room in which the murder took place was locked and there were four other people in it, who presumably therefore all witnessed the crime. But DI Poole will soon discover that nothing about this crime is as straightforward as it looks…
This is the first of a short series of books based on the popular TV show, Death in Paradise, and written by the show’s creator. I may be the only person in Britain and perhaps the world who has never watched the show, so I came to the book cold, with no preconceptions about the characters or the setting. Like the series, the book is distinctly on the cosy side, with the paradise island setting and a bunch of quirky characters. DI Poole and his team are all likeable, although Poole himself is another of the tedious trend of “on the spectrum” detectives that contemporary crime fiction has been awash with in recent years. He doesn’t really understand people and has no friends, although his colleagues make every effort to bring him into the team. Oh, for a detective who’s just ordinary! However, Poole is a puzzle-solver and that comes in handy since this crime presents a good old-fashioned locked-room puzzle to solve!
Aslan had been leading a group in a meditation, and it soon becomes clear that the members of the group had been in a drugged sleep and wearing headphones and eye masks, so that their potential as witnesses is non-existent. Julia, the one who claims to have done the deed, was also drugged and doesn’t actually remember what happened. But the room was undoubtedly locked, so it seems that one of these five must be the murderer. This seems even more obvious when it turns out that in an earlier phase of his life, Aslan had been a conman and each of the people in the room had had prior dealings with him, so motives are plentiful.
It’s an enjoyable read and the plot is good, with a solution worthy of the Golden Age masters of the locked room mystery. The various suspects are well-drawn in that mildly stereotyped way of cosies, and their motives are interesting. We see the problems of investigation on an island with a tiny police force and too small to have local forensic labs, and the investigation element is well done.
However the book has a couple of weaknesses. The setting doesn’t really come to life – there’s no feel for what day-to-day life is like on the island. The heat and the tropical bursts of rain are mentioned endlessly but that’s about as much as we learn. I guess this is because it’s based on the TV show where, of course, the island is actually filmed and therefore no description is necessary, and if I’d previously watched the show my mind would doubtless have filled in the blanks. Also, we don’t meet many locals – basically a bunch of mostly Brits, including Poole himself, have been transported to an exotic location. That’s fairly typical for the cosy genre, of course, but a little local colour would have enhanced the setting, I feel.
The other flaw is that there is far too much repetition. Every now and then Poole redoes the whiteboard in the investigation room to bring it up to date with what’s been found out so far, and each time the details from the board are shown as a table in the book. That certainly makes the mystery fair play, but it’s more fun picking up clues than being spoon fed them. Admittedly, despite the spoon-feeding, I still didn’t work out how it was done, though I had a pretty good idea, which proved to be right, of who the murderer was.
Overall, I enjoyed it and would happily read the other books in the series – perfect lazy summer reading for those of us who prefer to read about tropical paradises than swelter in them. And I may even watch the show!
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
When spiritual guru Aslan Kennedy is murdered, it seems like it should be an easy case for Detective Inspector Richard Poole and his colleagues in the small police force on the Caribbean island of Saint Marie. For one thing, a woman is found standing over Aslan’s body with a bloody knife in her hand, claiming she killed him. Secondly, the room in which the murder took place was locked and there were four other people in it, who presumably therefore all witnessed the crime. But DI Poole will soon discover that nothing about this crime is as straightforward as it looks…
This is the first of a short series of books based on the popular TV show, Death in Paradise, and written by the show’s creator. I may be the only person in Britain and perhaps the world who has never watched the show, so I came to the book cold, with no preconceptions about the characters or the setting. Like the series, the book is distinctly on the cosy side, with the paradise island setting and a bunch of quirky characters. DI Poole and his team are all likeable, although Poole himself is another of the tedious trend of “on the spectrum” detectives that contemporary crime fiction has been awash with in recent years. He doesn’t really understand people and has no friends, although his colleagues make every effort to bring him into the team. Oh, for a detective who’s just ordinary! However, Poole is a puzzle-solver and that comes in handy since this crime presents a good old-fashioned locked-room puzzle to solve!
Aslan had been leading a group in a meditation, and it soon becomes clear that the members of the group had been in a drugged sleep and wearing headphones and eye masks, so that their potential as witnesses is non-existent. Julia, the one who claims to have done the deed, was also drugged and doesn’t actually remember what happened. But the room was undoubtedly locked, so it seems that one of these five must be the murderer. This seems even more obvious when it turns out that in an earlier phase of his life, Aslan had been a conman and each of the people in the room had had prior dealings with him, so motives are plentiful.
It’s an enjoyable read and the plot is good, with a solution worthy of the Golden Age masters of the locked room mystery. The various suspects are well-drawn in that mildly stereotyped way of cosies, and their motives are interesting. We see the problems of investigation on an island with a tiny police force and too small to have local forensic labs, and the investigation element is well done.
However the book has a couple of weaknesses. The setting doesn’t really come to life – there’s no feel for what day-to-day life is like on the island. The heat and the tropical bursts of rain are mentioned endlessly but that’s about as much as we learn. I guess this is because it’s based on the TV show where, of course, the island is actually filmed and therefore no description is necessary, and if I’d previously watched the show my mind would doubtless have filled in the blanks. Also, we don’t meet many locals – basically a bunch of mostly Brits, including Poole himself, have been transported to an exotic location. That’s fairly typical for the cosy genre, of course, but a little local colour would have enhanced the setting, I feel.
The other flaw is that there is far too much repetition. Every now and then Poole redoes the whiteboard in the investigation room to bring it up to date with what’s been found out so far, and each time the details from the board are shown as a table in the book. That certainly makes the mystery fair play, but it’s more fun picking up clues than being spoon fed them. Admittedly, despite the spoon-feeding, I still didn’t work out how it was done, though I had a pretty good idea, which proved to be right, of who the murderer was.
Overall, I enjoyed it and would happily read the other books in the series – perfect lazy summer reading for those of us who prefer to read about tropical paradises than swelter in them. And I may even watch the show!
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
October 23, 2024
Ho letto questo volume dopo aver visto la prima stagione di "Delitti in Paradiso" in televisione; l'ispettore Poole è davvero spassoso, coi suoi completi giacca e pantaloni sotto i 40 gradi dei Tropici e con tutte le sue idiosincrasie sulla sabbia e sull'acqua e devo dire che la versione cartacea non mi ha deluso, c'è anche un minimo di introspezione in più che non guasta. Consigliato per chi cerca un poliziesco leggero e rapido da leggere.
February 7, 2025
Verzeihung, wie lustig ist das bitte??
Und Camille/Richard ist und bleibt mein favourite duo bei Death in Paradise (NEVILLE/FLORENCE ICH LIEBE EUCH AUCH)
Hier mal ein paar Zitate die ich schon bisschen sehr lustig fand:
-"Cancel the banana sandwich. There's been a murder!"
-[...] Only because his flowing white hair, beard and white cotton nightshirt gave him a Jesus/Gandalf vibe.
- Yes, he decided to himself, it was all going to be fine...
It was half an hour later that the screaming started.
- Camille considered Richard for a moment and realised that, yes, he was the most infuriating person she'd ever met in her life.
- "You're stressed."
"Seriously. You have no idea."
Und Camille/Richard ist und bleibt mein favourite duo bei Death in Paradise (NEVILLE/FLORENCE ICH LIEBE EUCH AUCH)
Hier mal ein paar Zitate die ich schon bisschen sehr lustig fand:
-"Cancel the banana sandwich. There's been a murder!"
-[...] Only because his flowing white hair, beard and white cotton nightshirt gave him a Jesus/Gandalf vibe.
- Yes, he decided to himself, it was all going to be fine...
It was half an hour later that the screaming started.
- Camille considered Richard for a moment and realised that, yes, he was the most infuriating person she'd ever met in her life.
- "You're stressed."
"Seriously. You have no idea."
December 11, 2019
Mon premier "cosy mystery" et parfait pour la saison (Noël) ! Un personnage principal (et secondaires) attachants, de l'humour so British - une enquête intéressante et j'aime la manière dont on rentre dans la tête du policier (je n'aime pas Hercule Poirot pour rien..)
September 14, 2023
Maybe more a 3.5* rounded up, this was so similar to the TV series in terms of the first character DI Richard Poole with all his quirks! Really clever writing in that we're almost part of DI Poole's brain as it whirls round processing every minute part of the investigation. I dont know why I didn't read this sooner as I enjoy the TV programme too.
January 4, 2015
When the publishers Harlequin asked me if I'd like a copy of A Meditation On Murder I nearly bit their hands off, I have watched the television series, Death In Paradise, from the beginning ,seduced by the echoes of Agatha Christie's construction of a mystery coupled with the beautiful setting on the Caribbean island of Saint Marie.
A Meditation on Murder is in the format of a classic `locked room' mystery with the victim meeting his end in a room constructed of paper in the grounds of a hotel which contained five guests and the Spiritual Leader, Aslan Kennedy, the husband of the owner of exclusive retreat. Having been relaxing with headphones and eye-masks the murder was only discovered when the apparent murderer starts screaming. This fiendishly difficult puzzle is made more complex as the chapters progress where ever more apparent motives are raised, only to be dashed by even fewer opportunities for execution. The book recaps the evidence in the form of Richard Poole's evidence board so the reader can make sure they haven't missed any points along the way.
I thought I had the murderer sussed at one point, quite proud of myself I read on with the clues working in favour of my hypothesis I was certain that for once I had it all worked out, that was until the same scenario was presented to Richard Poole and I read the words:
Richard let this unlikely scenario hang in the air a moment.
"So thank you, Fidel, for your theory,- just for the record... And nor could X be our killer, either"
So once again I completely failed to spot the murderer despite the liberal scattering of clues that had presented themselves to Richard Poole's eagle eyes, masked as they were with the obligatory red herrings along the way.
I'll be honest it is difficult to be objective about the characterisation in this book because I'm unsure how much of my prior knowledge I used while reading, but suffice to say Richard Poole a detective dispatched from Croyden to police the island was instantly recognisable, as was the rest of the team. Richard Poole is a man who is pedantic, hates the sand, the heat and the lizard that shares his shack but for these very reasons, he is the man to lead an investigation with his rigour around the minutest detail.
This was a really enjoyable read especially, but not exclusively, for fans of Death In Paradise which is back on our screens on Thursday 8 January 2015.
A Meditation on Murder is in the format of a classic `locked room' mystery with the victim meeting his end in a room constructed of paper in the grounds of a hotel which contained five guests and the Spiritual Leader, Aslan Kennedy, the husband of the owner of exclusive retreat. Having been relaxing with headphones and eye-masks the murder was only discovered when the apparent murderer starts screaming. This fiendishly difficult puzzle is made more complex as the chapters progress where ever more apparent motives are raised, only to be dashed by even fewer opportunities for execution. The book recaps the evidence in the form of Richard Poole's evidence board so the reader can make sure they haven't missed any points along the way.
I thought I had the murderer sussed at one point, quite proud of myself I read on with the clues working in favour of my hypothesis I was certain that for once I had it all worked out, that was until the same scenario was presented to Richard Poole and I read the words:
Richard let this unlikely scenario hang in the air a moment.
"So thank you, Fidel, for your theory,- just for the record... And nor could X be our killer, either"
So once again I completely failed to spot the murderer despite the liberal scattering of clues that had presented themselves to Richard Poole's eagle eyes, masked as they were with the obligatory red herrings along the way.
I'll be honest it is difficult to be objective about the characterisation in this book because I'm unsure how much of my prior knowledge I used while reading, but suffice to say Richard Poole a detective dispatched from Croyden to police the island was instantly recognisable, as was the rest of the team. Richard Poole is a man who is pedantic, hates the sand, the heat and the lizard that shares his shack but for these very reasons, he is the man to lead an investigation with his rigour around the minutest detail.
This was a really enjoyable read especially, but not exclusively, for fans of Death In Paradise which is back on our screens on Thursday 8 January 2015.
March 5, 2019
This is an absolute must read for anyone who loves the TV series, “Death in Paradise”, but it’s also easy enough to pick up even if you have never come across the show.
For the benefit of those who haven’t seen the show, “Death in Paradise” is set on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint Marie, near Guadeloupe. A British cop leads a locally based Police team in solving crimes. In the first few series, and in the books, the British cop is DI Richard Poole.
In this story, Aslan Kennedy is the leader of a spiritual retreat. One morning, he and five others go into a locked room for a spot of meditation. About 10 minutes later, there is screaming. Aslan has been murdered, stabbed 5 times with a knife. One person is stood over him, holding a knife. She confesses to his murder – but can’t explain how she did it, or how the knife came to be in the room.
It’s a classic locked room mystery, and there are soon lots of additional unexplained mysteries for the team to solve.
Now, since this book was written, it has been done on tv, although I could not remember whodunnit. I really just enjoyed the sea, sunshine and sand, and enjoyed being just as mystified as the team.
I love the character of DI Poole. He hates sea, sand and sun, and spends all the time wandering around hot and bothered in a suit. The rest of the team, all being local, just don’t understand him at all, but they all appreciate the way his mind works – eventually – after being exasperated by his methods. Methods that don’t work back in the UK, but somehow work on Saint Marie.
For the benefit of those who haven’t seen the show, “Death in Paradise” is set on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint Marie, near Guadeloupe. A British cop leads a locally based Police team in solving crimes. In the first few series, and in the books, the British cop is DI Richard Poole.
In this story, Aslan Kennedy is the leader of a spiritual retreat. One morning, he and five others go into a locked room for a spot of meditation. About 10 minutes later, there is screaming. Aslan has been murdered, stabbed 5 times with a knife. One person is stood over him, holding a knife. She confesses to his murder – but can’t explain how she did it, or how the knife came to be in the room.
It’s a classic locked room mystery, and there are soon lots of additional unexplained mysteries for the team to solve.
Now, since this book was written, it has been done on tv, although I could not remember whodunnit. I really just enjoyed the sea, sunshine and sand, and enjoyed being just as mystified as the team.
I love the character of DI Poole. He hates sea, sand and sun, and spends all the time wandering around hot and bothered in a suit. The rest of the team, all being local, just don’t understand him at all, but they all appreciate the way his mind works – eventually – after being exasperated by his methods. Methods that don’t work back in the UK, but somehow work on Saint Marie.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 611 reviews